Acetylene-gas generator



- No. 6I4,593. Patented Nov. 22,1898.

0. s. WILLIAMS.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR (Application filed Aug. 13, 1897.)

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

WITNESSES: 1f l' INVENTOR L1 WWW l A. WW

9 B 27 2 V 0 N d e t n e t a P S M M IL L W S D 3 9 7 M 6 0 N ACETYLENEGAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed Aug. 13, 1897.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

, (No Model.)

INVENTOR WITNESSES: flaw W m: NORRIS PETERS N0. 6|4,593. Patented Nov.22, I898.

D. S. WILLIAMS.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Applies-tic). filed Aug". 13. 1897.) (No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

" WITNESSES;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID S. \VILLIAMS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 614,593, dated November22, 1898.

Application filed August 13, 1897. Serial No. 648,116. (No model.)

T0 ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID S. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inApparatus for Generating Acetylene Gas; and I do declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

My invention relates to the manufacture of acetylene gas; and itconsists of a new and improved machine for automaticallybringing thegas-making material in contact with a stream of water, in means forregulating the supply of water to said material according to the amountof gas generated, and in means for replenishing the supply of gas-makingmaterial while the machine is in operation.

My invention further consists in details of constructiomas more fullyset out hereinafter.

Heretofore in the manufacture of acetylene gas it has been customary toplace the calcium carbid in a containing vessel and different means wereprovided forsupplying water to the calcium carbid for the purpose ofgenerating the hydrocarbon gas, all of which involved the saturation ormoisture of the entire mass or a large part thereof. As a consequencethe gas is generated with great rapidity, and although arrangements havebeen devised either for shutting 0% the water-supply or for withdrawingthe calcium carbid from the water automatically as the pressure of gasapproaches the danger-point ithas been found that the generation of gascontinues, owing to the calcium carbid being in a more or less wetcondition, for a considerable time after the supply of water isdiscontinued. The result has been that in spite of the perfect workingof said automatic devices and notwithstanding the exercise of everyreasonable precaution the pressure occasionally increases to such anextent that disastrous explosions result.

The embodiments of the invention herein described comprise as their mainfeatures a tank in which the gas is generated, the tank containing avessel for holding the calcium carbid, the vessel having a floor,preferably a deflecting one, as a grate, upon which the containedmaterial is adapted to be fed toward the circumference of the floor,which constitutes an annular receptacle for containing the limitedquantity of the calcium carbid that is to be subjected at any one timeto the action of the water. VVateris supplied to the material in thereceptacle preferably by means of a supply-pipe, which extends aroundthe tank over the material in the annular receptacle, the supply-pipebeing provided with orifices through which the Water is sprayed upon thematerial.

The invention also consists in automatic means for shutting off theWater-supply when the pressure increases up to a certain point, in meansfor charging the vessel for containing the calcium carbid during thegenerating process and without interference therewith, and in means forremoving the residuum from the tank.

I will now proceed to describe the several embodiments of my invention.

It must be understood that my invention so far as the machine isconcerned is not restricted to the types shown and described, as theconstruction may be altered in many details without departing from theprinciple of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine constructed inaccordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on theline 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detached perspective View of a portionof the vessel for containing the material. Fig. 4 is a perspective Viewof the grating comprising the outer part of the floor sustaining thematerial. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the grating forming thecentral part of the floor. Fig. 6 is a plan View of a slightly-modifiedform of my invention. Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation on the line 2 2of-Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a plan view of a second modification of myinvention, and Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation on the line 9 9 of Fig.8.

A is the tank or outer casing; B, the Vessel containing the calciumcarbid. This vessel may be circular in shape, of substantially uniformdiameter, and extend upwardly to the top of the tank, leaving an annularspace hetween it and the wall of the tank, as in Figs.

2, 3, and 7, or it may consist of the walls of and downwardly projectingpiece B, secured to the wall of the tank, as in Fig. 9. The floor ofthis vessel consists of a cone-shaped grate C, the sloping top thereofacting to defleet the material from the vessel into the annularreceptacle D, which may be joined, as in Figs. 2 and 7, partly by thegrate itself and partly by an annular sloping grate E, se-

cured to the wall of the tank and shown in detail in Fig. 4, or theannular receptacle may be formed, as in Fig. 9, simply by theprolongation of the floor-grate O. In Fig. 2 the floor-grate O issuspended from the vessel B by means of the depending bars 0. Thisfloor-grate is shown in detail in Fig. 5. In Fig. 7 the floor-grate isshown suspended by means of stay-rods 0', extending across the vessel B,and a rod 0 depending therefrom and secured to the floor-grate O at itsapex. In Fig. 9 the deflecting-grate is supported by means of a shaft 0projecting above the cover of the tank and extending through the apex ofthe grate to stay-bars 0 extending across the tank beneath thefloorgrate. The floor-grate in Fig. 9 is shown provided at its apex witha depending collar 0 surrounding the shaft, and reinforcing-ribs 0between the collar and the grate.

In each of the several embodiments of my invention shown the water isintroduced into the tank by means of a pipe F, which is arranged withinthe tank to extend entirely around the same and between the wall thereofand the wall of the containing vessel B and directly over the receptacleD. This pipe is provided with orifices through which the water spraysover the material in the receptacle.

The tankin each of the embodiments shown is adapted to contain water,and a pipe G, from a source of water-supply controlled by a suitablevalve leads to the lower part of the tank for the purpose of supplyingwater thereto, while a discharge-pipe H, controlled by a valve 71,extends from the conical bottom of the tank.

The operation of the machine so far as I have described it is asfollows: The vessel B is filled with the calcium carbid, and a limitedquantity thereof is fed by means of the deflecting-grate C to theannular receptacle D. ater is then admitted into pipe F and is sprayedupon the material in the receptacle, the hydrogen of which, as is wellknown,enters into chemical combination with the constituent carbon ofthe calcium carbid, thus generating hydrocarbon or acetylene gas, whichfills the tank and is drawn off for consumptionthroughthepipeI.Theresidualoxid of calcium and water drops down to the bottom of thetank and accumulates there, whence it is expelled by flushing that is,opening the valve 7?. and withdrawing the water. The

flushin g operation may be continued by opening the valve 9 andadmitting such additional quantities of water as may be necessary tothoroughly clean out the tank, after which the valve h is closed and thevalve g opened until the tank is again supplied with the desiredquantity of water. As the receptacle 0 is depleted by the operation justdescribed, it is continuously supplied with fresh material from thevessel B, the quantity of calcium carbid under the action of the waterremaining, therefore, practically stationary. When the water-supply isturned off, either by manipulating the controlling-valve by hand or bythe closing of an automatic valve by the means hereinafter to bedescribed, only a small proportion of the material-namely, the materialin the receptacle Cwill be in a Wet or moist condition, and thesubsequent generation of gas will be limited. So far this describedoperation applies to each of the several embodiments which I haveillustrated; but it is obvious that machines used as a part of a largesupply plant and those intended for individual use for domestic purposesshould differ somewhat, not in principle, butin details of construction.The construction shown in Figs. 1 to 5 is one which I consider suitablefor use in the manufacture of gas on a large scale and I will proceed todescribe some of its peculiarities of construction.

It is manifestly sometimes desirable in machines of this class when thestock of material in the tank becomes depleted to introduce a new supplywithout discontinuing the generation of gas. To this end I have placed areservoir-tank K above the tank, the said tank having the annular flangeat its bottom, which is bolted to the top of the tank, the bolts alsoextending through the annular flange b on the top of the vessel B, bywhich means the vessel 13 is suspended within and the tank K sustainedabove the tank A. This tank K has a trap-door bottom K, which is shaped,preferably, like the floor-grate C. On the rim of this trap-door bottomis a gasket 71;, so that a gas-tight joint will be normally maintainedbetween the reservoir and the interior of the tank. To sustain thebottom in this position, I have shown a Windlass L and chain L, thechain being secured to a depending bar L having the stay-rods Z and Zand secured to the bottom K by any desirable means. The reservoir K hasthe cover K through which the material is introduced to fill thereservoir. To fill the vessel B from the reservoir, the chain isunwound, thus dropping the bottom of the reservoir and permitting thedesired quantity of material to drop into the vessel B.

In order .to automatically shut off the water-supply when the gasaccumulates in the tank faster than it is withdrawn for consumption, Ihave provided the following means: The pipe G from the source ofwater-supply has the branch pipes G and F, both hereinbefore described.The pipe G has the handvalve f and the globe-valve f, adapted to beoperated automatically. A gas-pipe M leads from the top of the tank toadiaphragm-case M, sustained on bracket m and having the diaphragm on,which has a spring-pressed rod m secured to the valve f. By this meansthe diaphragm is set to yield at a definite pressure, and when the gasin the tank reaches that pressure the valve will close.

Instead of introducing the water-supply pipe into the annular spacebetween the tank A and vessel B above the receptacle D it may bearranged as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2namely, by extending the pipe Finto the tank beneath the floor-grate and spraying the waterhorizontally and radially upon the material in the bottom of thereceptacle D.

The gas may be expelled from the tank at any time that the vessel B isempty by opening the valve g and allowing the water from the pipe G tofill the same. The gas in the interior of vessel B will be expelled bymeans of the pipe J, leading therefrom and con necting outside of thetank with the pipe I.

The construction shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is intended for the manufactureof gas on a small scale. I have shown the following means forautomatically shutting off the water-supply as the gas-pressureincreases to a fixed amount: Adjoining the tank A is a receiver N,connected by means of a branch pipe G with pipe G. Pipe F extends inthis construction through the receiver and has a globe-valvef within thesame. To this'valve is connected the float N by means of rod n. Aguide-rod n projects upwardly from the float, passing through a circularorifice in bracket N secured to the inner Wall of the receiver. A columnof water is sustained in the receiver by the pressure of gas in thetank. The receiver communicates with the room in which the same isplaced by means of thegooseneck N extending from the receiver a shortdistance from the top thereof, while it communicates with the exterioratmosphere by means of a fine N extending from the top thereof to thechimney. As the pressure of gas increases beyond the desired amount thevolume of water in the receiver is lifted, raising the float andshutting the valve f If for any reason, whether due to the derangementof valve f or otherwise, the gas continues to generate after the floatis lifted to an abnormal extent, the level of the water in the receiverwill rise until it reaches the gooseneck,into and through which thewater will flow until the level of the water in the tank A sinks beneaththe mouth of the pipe G. The pressure in the tank then forces the gasthrough the water-pipe G and receiver N, the gas escaping through theflue N the water in the gooseneck acting as a seal to prevent the escapeof the gas into the room. This automatic valve and safety deviceconstitutes no part of my present invention, except so far as it isefficient for use in combination with the novel features of my invention and is described and claimed in Letters Patent granted to meOctober 19, 1897, Serial No. 592,035. I

In the construction shown in Figs. 8 and 9 the construction locatedoutside of the tank and p is lettered 'f. A float O is sustained withinthe receiver, and arod 0, secured to it, projects up through the top ofthe receiver and is secured to the rock-shaft 0', to which is attachedthe connecting-rod 0 secured to an arm attached to valve f As the floatrises the connecting-rod is drawn up, thus operating the valve.

By having the automaticallycontrolled valve without the tank the dangerof water in the receiver leaking into the valve, as might occur in theconstruction shown in Figs. 6 and 7, is obviated.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s

1. A machine for generating acetylene gas consisting of a receptacleadapted to contain the gas-making material, a conical gratearrangedbelow said receptacle, so as to convey the gas-making material away fromthe receptacle into an annular space surrounding the same, awater-supply pipe located in said annular space above the gas-makingmaterial, and means as shown for regulating the supply of water to thegas-making material by the pressure of gas contained within thereservoir.

2. A machine for generating acetylene gas consisting of an innerreceptacle adapted to contain the gas-making material, a conical gratearranged below said receptacle so as to guide the material into anannular space formed between the inner and outer receptacles of thegenerator, a water-supply pipe located in said annular space providedwith a regulating device governed by the pressure of gas in the outerreceptacle for regulating the flow of water to the gasmakin g material,and a gas-discharge pipe for conveying the gas from said outerreceptacle.

3. A machine for generating acetylene gas, consisting of an innerreceptacle adapted to contain the gas-making material, and an outerreceptacle adapted to hold gas and contain the residuum from thegas-making material, a conical grate arranged below the inner receptacleso as to convey the gas-making ma terial from the inner receptacle tothe annular space formed between the same and the outer receptacle, agas-discharge pipe connected to the outer receptacle, a water-supplypipe located in said annular space over the gas-making material,provided with a series of openings, a reservoir supported from theoutside of the generator provided with a pipe communicating with theouter casing of the generator, said reservoir being adapted to hold aquantity of water, a float arranged within said reservoir and beingconnected by a lever with a valve in the water-supply pipe so that thepressure of gas acting upon said body of water will regulate the supplyof water to the gas-making material.

4. In a machine for manufacturing acetylene gas, the combination with atank or casing having a conical floor or grate therein adapted tosupport a quantity of calcium carbid, of a partition above said flooradapted to separate a part of said material from the remainder thereof,and means as shown located in the annular space between said partitionand the tank for supplying water to a part only of said material, thetank being adapted to receive the gas, a valve as shown, for controllingsaid water-supply, and means as shown for closing said Valve adapted tobe actuated by a given pressure of gas.

5. In a machine for manufacturing acetylene gas, the combination with atank or casing having a conical floor or grate therein adapted tosupporta quantity of calcium carbid, of a partition above said floor orgrate, adapted to separate a part of said material from the remainderthereof, and means as shown and described for supplying water to a partonly of said material, the tank being adapted to receive the gas, avalve extraneous to the tank for controlling said water-supply, a deviceextraneous to the tank for control ling said valve connected with saidtank through the medium of a pipe connection and adapted to be actuatedto close said valve by increase of gas-pressure.

6. In a machine for the manufacture of acetylene gas, the combinationwith a tank in which the gas is generated, of a vessel freely suspendedtherein, a conical grate arranged below said vessel and suspendedthereby a second inclined grate suspended from the tank, a water-supplypipe arranged in the annular space formed between the inner and outerreceptacles, means as shown for regulating the supply of water to thegenerator, a reservoir mounted above the generator having an openingcommunicating therewith, a conical door for closing said opening, andmeans extraneous to said reservoir for open ing and closing said door.

7. In a machine for the manufacture of acetylene gas, the combinationwith a tank or casing in which the gas is to be generated, of a vesselwithin said tank adapted to the generating material, a deflecting-gratebeneath said vessel adapted to deflect the material toward the walls ofthe tank or casing, a watersupply pipe extending into said tank, butwithout said vessel, the same being provided with orifices in proximityto said deflectinggrate, a reservoir mounted above the generator andcommunicating therewith, the same being adapted to hold a supply ofgas-making material, and a door arranged at the bottom of said reservoirfor regulating the supply of gas-making material to the inner receptacleof the generator.

8. In a machine for the manufacture of acetylene gas, the combinationwitha tank or casing, such as shown and described, in which the gas isto be generated, of a vessel within said tank adapted to the generatingmaterial, the said vessel having a deflecting-grate beneath the sameadapted to deflect the material toward the walls of the tank or casing,and a water-supply pipe extendinginto said tank, but without the Vessel,and provided with orifices in proximity to the said deflecting-grate.

9. In a machine for the manufacture of acetylene gas, the combinationwith a tank or casing, substantially as shown and described, in whichthe gas is to be generated, of a vessel within said tank adapted to thegenerating material, the said vessel having a deflecting-grate beneaththe same adapted to deflect the material toward the walls of the tank orcasing, and a Water-supply pipe extending into the space between saidvessel and the wall of the tank and above the deflecting-grate, the saidsupply-pipe being provided with orifices, and means as shown anddescribed for regulating the supply of water by the pressure of gas inthe generator.

10. In a machine for the manufacture of acetylene gas, the combinationwith a tank or casing provided with a water-supply pipe and agas-discharge pipe in which the gas is to be generated, of a vesselwithin said tank adapted to the generating material, the said vesselhaving a deflecting-grate beneath the same adapted to deflect thematerial toward the walls of the tank or easing into an annularreceptacle below the wall of said vessel, and a water-supply pipeextending into said tank and arranged to extend around the same abovesaid annular receptacle, the said supply-pipe being provided withorifices.

11. An acetylene-gas generator, comprising an outer casing, an innercarbid-receptacle supported thereon with an open lower end separated byan annular space therefrom, a conical grate below the carbid receptacleadapted to convey the carbid to the lower part of said annular space,combined with the water-supply pipe in said annular space, and means forregulating the supply of water by the pressure of the generated gas.

' 12. A machine for generating acetylene gas consisting of an outer tankor receptacle provided at the top with a gas-discharge pipe and at thebottom with an outlet for discharging the waste products from thegeneration of the gas, a receptacle suspended within said tank orreceptacle adapted to contain the gasmaking material, a conical gratearranged below said receptacle so as to convey the gasmaking materialinto the annular space between the tank and the inner receptacle, aWater-supply pipe located in the annular space above the gas-makingmaterial and regulating devices such as shown and described forregulating the water-supply by the gas-pressure in the generator.

13. A machine for generating acetylene gas consisting of an outer tankor receptacle provided at the top with a gas-discharge pipe and at thebottom-with an outlet for discharging the Waste products from thegeneration of the gas, a receptacle suspended within said tank adaptedto contain the gas-making material, a conical grate arranged below saidreceptacle so as to convey the gas-making material toward and into theannular space formed between the tank and the inner receptacle; aWater-supply pipe located in the DAVID S. WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

JOHN R. NOLAN, F. NORMAN DIXON.

